Low sexual desire is a common sexual problem among women. When it is accompanied by significant personal distress, it may be diagnosed as hypoactive sexual desire dysfunction (HSDD). Both cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and mindfulness-based therapy (MBT) are effective treatments for HSDD when delivered in person or online. In this randomized controlled treatment study, CBT and MBT consisted of eight guided self-help modules delivered online, and participants completed measures at pretreatment and after 3, 6, and 12 months. Nine variables were examined as potential mediators of treatment outcomes (i.e., sexual desire and sexual distress), namely mindfulness, self-compassion, rumination, body connection, self-consciousness, relationship satisfaction, sexual communication, depression, and anxiety. In total, 212 women diagnosed with HSDD were randomized to either CBT or MBT ( = 36.3,  = 10.2). Improvements in self-compassion, rumination, body connection, and self-consciousness partially mediated treatment outcomes in at least one of the treatment groups. Mediation effects were mostly small, explaining up to 15% of the total effects. No systematic differences in mediation pathways between CBT and MBT were found. These findings emphasize the importance of emotion regulation, metacognitive processes, and embodiment for the effective treatment of HSDD. Future research should refine treatment components to enhance efficacy and ensure that psychological interventions adequately address common concerns among women with HSDD.

Sexual aggression toward women is pervasive in society and widespread on college campuses. Despite extensive research on its predictors and increased implementation of prevention programs, the prevalence of sexual aggression remains high. This has led to growing recognition of the need to distinguish between perpetrator profiles. This study examined whether the distinction between proactive and reactive aggression, a key distinction in aggression research, can help differentiate subtypes of men with a history of sexual aggression. A total of 619 young, heterosexual men ( = 22.50, SD = 3.40) completed questionnaires assessing various risk factors for sexual aggression that align with proactive and reactive aggression. Using Principal Component Analysis, we found a component reflecting proactive risk factors, and two more reactive components: one related to emotional lability and the other to impulsivity and alcohol use. A two-step cluster analysis, using the three components, revealed four distinct perpetrator subtypes, with three groups showing distinct risk factors - proactive traits, emotional dysregulation, or impulsivity and alcohol use. However, the fourth and largest cluster lacked clear risk characteristics, highlighting the need to explore additional factors, including sexual ones, to refine risk differentiation and prevention efforts.

Although prior research has shown that experiencing cyber-sexual violence is associated with a greater emotional impact, no study has analyzed whether myths about cyber-sexual violence could affect victims of cyber-sexual violence. Thus, we conducted two studies to analyze the impact of acceptance myths about cyber-sexual violence (AMCYS) on the relationship between cyber-sexual violence victimization and emotional impacts. In Study 1 ( = 310), women with higher levels of AMCYS and greater cyber-sexual violence victimization reported higher levels of anxiety and depression, as well as lower self-esteem. Study 2 ( = 393) replicated these results and also examined the effect of cyber-sexual violence victimization through the lens of objectification theory. Results showed that women with higher AMCYS scores and more cyber-sexual violence victimization reported higher levels of anxiety, depression and body shame, as well as lower self-esteem and body appreciation. Importantly, these relationships occurred through the indirect effect of body surveillance (self-objectification). Both studies indicated that AMCYS play an exacerbating role in the emotional impacts reported by women who have more frequently experienced cyber-sexual violence, while also highlighting the framework of objectification theory in understanding these results. These findings can be used to develop interventions and prevention campaigns against cyber-sexual violence.

The majority of sexual violence perpetrators are men and, therefore it is important to examine factors that contribute to sexual aggression behaviors among men. Motives for engaging in sex is an under-investigated factor that may contribute to sexual aggression. We examined the association between six motives for sex (self-affirmation, coping, enhancement, peer approval, partner approval, and intimacy) and sexual aggression in young adult men in the United States over a four-week time span. Participants ( = 733) were men between 18 and 35 years of age, recruited from CloudResearch to complete three surveys: baseline, 2-week follow-up, and 4-week follow-up. We conducted negative binomial hurdle regression models to examine the association between sex motives and sexual aggression. Results showed that coping and self-affirmation motives at baseline predicted likelihood of sexual aggression at 2- and 4-week follow-up. Intimacy, peer approval, partner approval, and enhancement sex motives were not associated with sexual aggression at 2- or 4-week follow-up. Motives for sex, specifically coping and self-affirmation, may play a role in the engagement in sexual aggression. Findings contribute to our knowledge of why men engage in sexual aggression and may be useful in the identification of individuals who are at increased risk for perpetrating sexual aggression.

Experiencing rejection from a romantic partner can be painful, and sexual rejection may have a lasting impact on satisfaction. However, some ways of communicating sexual rejection may elicit more constructive responses from the rejected partner, fostering continued connection in the face of rejection. Across three studies-a cross-sectional study of individuals in romantic relationships (Study 1;  = 315) and two dyadic daily diary studies (Studies 2-3; total  = 219 couples contributing 9,287 daily reports)-we tested whether specific ways of communicating sexual rejection are associated with the rejected partner's emotional and behavioral responses. Across studies, perceived hostile rejection (e.g. the partner displayed criticism) was associated with more negative responses (i.e. resentment) from the rejected partner. In contrast, perceived reassuring rejection (e.g. the partner expressed warmth or future interest in sex) elicited more positive responses to rejection (i.e. understanding) and maintained the rejected partner's sexual desire. The findings extend relationship theories to understand sexual conflict, and provide a framework of specific, observable behaviors that researchers and clinicians can incorporate to help couples navigate the challenges of sexual rejection.

Parent-child communication about sexual health is associated with reduced sexual risk taking in adolescents. However, there is little research on how sexual health communication is transmitted across generations. This study examined how comfort discussing sexual health differs across generations within a family and how these conversations are associated with social/emotional wellness. Data were collected from family triads ( = 132 triads) comprised of a grandparent, parent, and young adult (grand)child. Each participant completed a survey regarding parent/child sexual health communication and social/emotional wellness. Data were analyzed using multiple linear regression in Stata 18, controlling for gender, age, marital status, and subjective socioeconomic status. Generally, young adults reported more parent/child sexual health communication than prior generations. When parents were comfortable discussing sexual health topics, young adults were more likely to report that their parents talked to them about sexual health. Parents and grandparents were more comfortable discussing sexual health topics if their own parents talked to them about sexual health. Young adults and grandparents reported better social/emotional wellness if their parents talked to them about sexual health during childhood. Our results indicate that it is more acceptable for parents to discuss sexual health with their children in recent generations. More parent-child discussions of sexual health may improve social/emotional wellness in future generations.

Sexual rejection is a challenging interpersonal experience in intimate relationships. The present research examined how mindfulness relates to the use of different sexual rejection strategies across three studies with complementary methodologies: cross-sectional (Study 1), experimental (Study 2) and longitudinal (Study 3). In Study 1 ( = 383; 49.87% women and 48.83% men;  = 39.25,  = 11.97), greater trait mindfulness was associated with fewer hostile and deflecting, and more assertive, rejection strategies. Parallel mediation analyses revealed that fewer hostile and deflecting rejection strategies accounted for the positive links between mindfulness and both sexual and relationship satisfaction. In Study 2 ( = 409; 50.12% women and 49.39% men;  = 41.20,  = 12.68), we replicated the indirect association between pre-manipulation state mindfulness and satisfaction via lower hostile rejection. In Study 3 ( = 193; 59.1% women and 39.4% men;  = 43.52,  = 11.95), greater baseline trait mindfulness predicted less hostile rejection across eight weeks, which in turn was linked to greater weekly sexual and relationship satisfaction. Across studies, mindfulness was consistently linked to less hostile sexual rejection, which may support the maintenance of sexual and relationship satisfaction. The findings offer novel insight into how mindfulness relates to sexual communication and relationship well-being. Future research should examine whether mindfulness-based interventions can improve sexual rejection communication and relational outcomes in more diverse populations.

Minority stressors and sexual position identity (e.g. bottom, top, versatile) have been linked to HIV communication among sexual minority men (SMM), yet remain understudied in Taiwan. This study examined associations between minority stressors and HIV communication among Taiwanese SMM, with sexual position identity explored as a potential moderator. Between April and May 2023, 198 HIV-negative or unknown status Taiwanese SMM who used dating apps to find sexual partners completed an online survey assessing sexual position identity, HIV communication behaviors (partner status inquiry and self-disclosure), and three forms of stigma: enacted, anticipated, and internalized. Logistic regression analyses showed that higher internalized stigma was associated with greater odds of partner status inquiry. Moderation analyses identified interactions in which enacted stigma was associated with higher odds of partner status inquiry among bottom-identified SMM compared to versatile-identified SMM, while anticipated stigma was associated with lower odds of partner status inquiry and self-disclosure among bottom-identified SMM. These findings suggest that sexual position identity may shape how minority stressors relate to HIV communication. Interventions that account for both sexual position identity and specific forms of stigma could be relevant for supporting HIV-related communication and informed decision-making among Taiwanese SMM.

Healthcare providers in the United States typically recommend that postpartum people wait 6 weeks before resuming vaginal sex to ensure time to recover from childbirth. Guidelines recommend that postpartum patients attend a 6-week postpartum visit, and this visit typically includes contraception provision and counseling. We analyzed data from a clinical trial of immediate postpartum use of injectable contraception on lactation, which followed patients from delivery through the first postpartum year. We calculated the prevalence of early resumption of vaginal sex, defined as having vaginal sex before 6 weeks postpartum. We also used bivariable and multivariable models to identify correlates of early resumption. Among the sample of 137 adult postpartum patients, 18.4% reported early resumption of vaginal sex; among this subgroup, the mean time to resumption was 3.9 weeks (standard deviation, 0.9 weeks). The sole factor evaluated that appeared to be correlated with early resumption of vaginal sex was education; college graduates had 70% lower adjusted odds of reporting early vaginal intercourse compared with those who had less education ( = .04). Our study findings suggest that resuming sex before 6 weeks postpartum is not rare and could place people at risk of a rapid repeat pregnancy.

Little global research exists exploring the impact of COVID-19 on the sexual behavior of gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM). Using data from a global dataset representing GBMSM from 132 countries, this study assessed sexual behavior and comfort attending social and sexual venues (bars, saunas, sex parties) during the pandemic. Data were derived from a cross-sectional survey implemented by Hornet, a popular gay social-networking app, from October to November 2020. A total of 15,499 GBMSM were included in this analysis. Nearly two thirds (64.8%) of the sample had met a sexual partner through a dating/hookup app since the COVID-19 crisis began. GBMSM waiting to attend social and sexual venues until public health officials indicated it was safe, there was a vaccine, or their friends started going were less likely to have an app-based sex partner. Additionally, both HIV-positive status and current PrEP use were associated with higher odds of app-based sexual contact. These findings highlight the dynamic relationship between digital platforms and in-person sexual contexts during public health crises. Integrating harm reduction and sex-positive messaging across both digital and offline spaces is critical, especially during crises that limit access to social connection and affirming spaces.

Use of vibrators and more advanced forms of sextech is increasingly common, yet remains stigmatized. Disgust, an emotion linked to social attitudes and sexual norm violations, may contribute to this stigma. However, research has yet to examine perceptions of sextech use as disgusting, or how these perceptions vary by gender. To address this, we tested whether: H1) men's sextech use is rated as more disgusting than women's; H2) disgust increases with the humanlikeness of the device; and H3) women report greater disgust than men across scenarios. Results from a survey ( = 371) revealed that men were viewed as more disgusting than were women when depicted as using sextech. Additionally, disgust levels varied depending on the device depicted, with sex toy use eliciting the least disgust and sex robot use the most. Across all items, women participants reported higher disgust than did men. These findings provide the first evidence of a sexual double standard penalizing men for sextech use, and that sextech use is viewed as more disgusting as it becomes more humanlike. These findings advance work promoting integration of technology and acceptance and normalization of varied sexual behaviors as they become increasingly incorporated into people's sex lives.

The growth of the online sex industry is in part due to the persistent stigma and criminalization of sex work, which has also resulted in increased legal and political pushback. In recent years, various sex work research has examined the impact of changing U.S. laws on the digital platform provision of legal spaces of work and facilitation of safety strategies for sex workers, as well as new financial and digital discrimination faced by sex workers. To expand this research on the surveillance of online sexual labor, this study focused on workers' use of technology in assisting and restricting the facilitation of sugar relationships, which can be classified as sex work or sex-adjacent work, depending on the exact terms of arrangements. I conducted in-depth interviews with sugar workers to examine their platform use. This study found that though not all participants situate sugar work as sex work, their use of technology and subsequent resistance within the social, political, and legal constraints is on par with the broader sex industry. Furthermore, workers strategically used "algo-speak" to mitigate harms stemming from sexual censorship, digital discrimination, and the stigmatization of sex work by, for example, avoiding using select phrases during conversations, blurring identifying facial features in pictures, and creating exclusive sugar worker communities. By examining various technological conundrums, this study deepens our understanding of the contemporary role of technology in work and the ways marginalized (and often criminalized) workers circumvent a continuous state of surveillance and censorship, regardless of the legality of their work or their class status.

Although people idealize spontaneous sex, planned sex is associated with lower satisfaction only when valued less. This research tested how manipulating planned-sex beliefs and intentions affects sexual frequency, desire, distress, and satisfaction among parents of young children, who are more vulnerable to lower sexual and relationship satisfaction. Following a Pilot Study testing the manipulation ( = 215), participants in the Main Study ( = 514) were assigned to either the experimental group ( = 310) that read about the benefits of planned sex and were encouraged to plan sex or the control group ( = 204) whose existing beliefs and routines were affirmed. Two weeks later, the experimental group reported more frequent planned sex and more frequent sex overall and greater desire as compared to the control group. For the control group, perceiving a recent sexual experience as more planned was linked to lower sexual satisfaction and greater distress, whereas the experimental group was buffered against these effects. Moreover, the experimental group reported higher relationship satisfaction when sex was perceived as planned, unlike the control group. Shifting people's planned-sex beliefs and intentions encourages more frequent sex, enhances desire, and impacts sexual and relationship satisfaction and distress when partners plan sex.

The present study describes the development and psychometric evaluation of a new diagnostic instrument for the assessment of trauma-related sexual problems: The Sexual Problems following Trauma Questionnaire (SPTQ). A set of 55 items, developed from a comprehensive literature review and expert and patient queries, was tested on a German sample of 849 trauma-exposed adults and 46 healthy controls. The initial items were subjected to an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) in a randomly selected subsample ( = 439) of trauma-exposed adults. A final set of 27 items was subjected to a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to cross-validate the factor structure in a separate subsample ( = 410). The EFA revealed six dimensions: Negative Emotions and Cognitions, Lack of Boundaries, Intrusion and Avoidance, Dissociation, Hyperarousal, and Instrumental Sexual Behavior. The CFA demonstrated good to excellent model fit (CFI = .91; TLI = .90; RMSEA = .08; SRMR = .07), and the SPTQ total scale showed excellent internal consistency ( = .95). Convergent validity was supported by significant correlations with sexual function measures, while criterion validity showed correlations with time since last sexual contact and satisfaction. In sum, results indicate that the SPTQ is a reliable and valid measure of sexual problems following trauma.

Family communication about puberty, relationships, and sexuality is an important component of healthy sexual development for early adolescents who are beginning puberty and navigating increased interest in sexual and romantic relationships. Yet sexual communication is difficult for many families. Many sex education books and in-person programs exist, but they are an increasingly outdated form of education in our digital world. To address this gap, our team developed a new digital program called to offer early sex education and support sexual communication between parents and adolescents aged 10-13 years. In this paper, we preview the design and functionality of and describe the development of this program. Additionally, we report results from a preliminary investigation of the program's perceived acceptability and usefulness from user testing with 35 parent-adolescent dyads recruited from across the US. Overall, both parents and adolescents who tested expressed high levels of enthusiasm for the program. For example, over 80% of users liked both the program content and structure, and believed would be helpful to other families. They also suggested important improvements that can increase the ultimate impact, engagement, and commercial readiness of .

Impulsivity and alcohol consumption are linked to increased risky sexual behaviors, but the role of protective behavioral strategies (PBS) in this relationship is underexplored. This study examined whether PBS moderates the relationship among trait impulsivity, alcohol use (AU) severity, and risky sexual behavior (RSB). A moderated mediation analysis was conducted using cross-sectional data from a study on a text-based intervention among college students ( = 524; Mage = 20.93, SD = 3.51; Female = 70.1%). Results showed that greater positive urgency and lack of perseverance were significantly associated with elevated AU. The negative association between perseverance and AU increased at high levels of PBS subfactor manner of drinking but decreased at high levels of serious harm reduction. Across all serious harm reduction levels, the AU-RSB association remained strong. Conditional indirect effects revealed that the indirect association between positive urgency and RSB via AU was significant at all serious harm reduction levels. The indirect effect of perseverance on RSB via AU was pronounced when serious harm reduction was low, and the manner of drinking was average to high, or serious harm reduction was average, and the manner of drinking was high, or serious harm reduction was high, and the manner of drinking was average. Findings highlight the role of PBS in mitigating alcohol-related harm among impulsive young adults. This implies that there is a need for carefully designed interventions that target the nuanced interplay among impulsivity traits, alcohol use severity, and risky sexual behavior by implementing specific protective behavioral strategies.

Over the last two decades, a large body of literature has concluded that viewing pornography that features aggression is associated with attitudes that endorse aggression and with sexually aggressive behaviors. Yet, previous content analyses of pornography have produced substantial variability in reported rates of aggression. Furthermore, these analyses did not include data from the last decade and most of them failed to examine time trends in pornographic representations of aggression. We examined a sample of 255 popular online pornographic videos from Pornhub, over a period of 25 years, from 2000 to 2024. While any visible physical aggression appeared in 43.9% of the videos in the entire sample, nonconsensual aggression was rare. Moreover, depictions of aggression in the most viewed videos have not been stable over time, with rates of aggression nearly tripling between the first and last decades of the analysis. While this growth is primarily the result of increases in spanking, we also found significant increases in hitting and choking practices. We discuss the potential consequences of these increases, as well as possible policy and educational implications.

Online sexual services, like livestreaming and sexual content creation, are common forms of sex work - yet little is known about the occupational health of workers providing these services. There is a particular need for research with transgender/nonbinary (TNB) online sex workers, who may face distinctive marginalization-related challenges. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 14 U.S.-based TNB young adults, ages 22-30 years, who had done online sex work. We triangulated interview data through focus groups with 17 participants who were clinicians and/or advocates working with TNB people and/or sex workers. Using thematic analysis, we developed five themes addressing positive dynamics in online sex work: Skill and career development, artistry and craft, social connection, self-exploration, and promoting healthier sexual norms. We also developed six themes addressing stressful dynamics: Sexual stereotypes and market pressures, negative viewer and customer interactions, conflict and exploitation, volatility in engagement and earnings, restrictive rules and opaque enforcement, and sex work stigma. Finally, we developed two themes addressing protective factors: Financial and housing stability and longer-term sex work experience. Results point to the importance of recognizing the diversity of TNB young adults' online sex work experiences, opposing restrictive laws and policies, and advocating for social safety net programs.

People often engage in substance use during sexual activity, and substance-involved sexual assault survivors are also likely to engage in this behavior in their lifetimes and post-assault. However, most literature frames this behavior as a "sexual risk" behavior when attributed to sexual assault survivors and has not asked survivors directly about their substance-involved sex. Using a sex positive framework, the current study used qualitative interviews (N = 34) to investigate a diverse, community sample of survivors' sex while using drugs and/or alcohol. Through thematic analysis, four themes were found: 1) facilitating physical and emotional pleasure; 2) control and agency during substance-involved sex; 3) communication and boundaries during substance-involved sex; and 4) shame/stigma of enjoying substance-involved sex. Implications for research that moves away from a pathologizing framework of substance-involved sex and adding more nuance to sexual consent education are discussed.

LGBQ individuals report higher rates of sexualized drug use (SDU; i.e. the use of alcohol and/or other drugs before or during sex) than heterosexual individuals. Drawing on Minority Stress Theory, this paper explored internalized sexual prejudice (ISP; i.e. the process of internalizing negative societal attitudes toward minority sexual identities) as a theoretically relevant factor underlying this disparity. Relevant studies were identified through a systematic search of the PsycINFO, Cinahl, Medline Complete, Scopus, and Web of Science databases on the 29 of April, 2024, plus a subsequent search of the gray literature. Eighteen studies ( = 16,483) were included in a meta-analysis examining the association between ISP and SDU. The results revealed a small, non-significant overall relationship ( = .012, 95% CI [-.011, .035],  = .316). Subgroup analysis by drug type also yielded non-significant differences ( = .468). Narrative synthesis highlighted wide variability in how ISP and SDU were operationalized across studies, as well as evidence of publication bias. Findings suggest that the relationship between ISP and SDU is complex, inconsistent, and potentially moderated by unmeasured contextual factors. Future research is warranted to explore subgroup differences and incorporate diverse theoretical perspectives to more fully account for the motivations and risks associated with SDU.

Young adult Black women (YABW) report inadequate access to and experiences receiving sexual and reproductive health care. The purpose of this research was to examine perceived barriers to care among YABW. A nationwide sample of 500 YABW ages 18-22 years participated in an online survey. Participants reported on perceived logistical (knowledge, access, and cost) and stigma-based barriers (disclosure, discomfort, and judgment) to accessing prescription birth control, sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing, and abortion care. Bivariate analyses and multiple linear regressions assessed associations between outcomes and sexuality and relationship, behavioral, economic, sexual agency, stigma-related, policy, and state/community characteristics. A majority perceived at least one barrier to prescription birth control and STI testing (54 - 68%), and most perceived at least one barrier to abortion care access (79 - 80%). Perceived barriers to abortion care (logistical:  = 1.44, SD = .98; stigma:  = 1.56, SD = 1.03) were more common than barriers to STI testing (logistical:  = .86, SD = .94; stigma:  = 1.22, SD = 1.01) and prescription birth control (logistical:  = .86, SD = .87; stigma:  = .98, SD = .96). Perceived barriers varied by individual-level characteristics. Promoting healthy sexuality in YABW requires addressing perceived barriers to care.

There is little research on autistic adults' rough sex experiences - even though rough sex has become prevalent among young adults. We aimed to explore lifetime sexual experiences, including consensual and non-consensual rough sex, among autistic university students in the U.S. and their perceptions and subjective experiences of rough sex. The study sample consisted of 46 autistic undergraduate and graduate students from a large public Midwestern U.S. university. Participants had engaged in a broad range of solo and consensual partnered sexual experiences, including rough sex, such as having their hair pulled (54.7%), being spanked lightly (51.3%), being choked by a partner (42.5%), consensual non-consent (12.5%) and having choked themselves while masturbating (19.6%) Most indicated their rough sex experiences had felt pleasurable, joyful, exciting, intimate, loving, or liberating; however, some reported they had felt them to be upsetting (60.0%), scary (30.0%), or traumatic (15.0%). About one-fifth had experienced non-consensual rough sex. Study findings underscore the need for sexuality education curricula to address diverse sexual practices for all students, including autistic university students. As autistic students in this sample reported some higher-risk practices (e.g. choking) and non-consensual rough sex, the timely and proactive integration of autism-specific findings on rough sex into sexuality education curricula is critical.

Sexual choking is prevalent among adolescents and young adults (AYA), some of whom report having learned about this sexual practice from social media. This study reports on sexual choking related #chokekink TikTok videos collected over 2 days in 2023-2024. We analyzed 96 entertaining and/or educative videos thematically and categorically using Memetic Content Analysis. The CRAAP (Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, Purpose) test was applied to all educative content ( = 6). Videos were primarily brief, one-sided, and framed as entertainment skits utilizing sampled sounds with text annotation. They contained more content around desiring choking than potential health risks. Most people present appeared to be traditionally cisgender female AYAs. While we primarily observed videos about consensual choking, we also witnessed choking in the context of dating violence. We identified 11 themes: (1) rough sex as pleasurable, (2) choking as not rough enough, (3) ideal masculine partners choke, (4) choking is "vanilla," (5) choking is introductory to rougher kinks, (6) consensual choking boundaries are unclear, (7) loss of consciousness: concerns and experiences, (8) being choked increases feminine attractiveness, (9) choking is intimidating for the choker, (10) kink origins related to trauma, (11) engagement of sexual choking to uphold sexual norms. All the educative content ( = 6) included misinformation comprised statements that there is a right way to choke based on pressure location and/or intensity or that consciousness implies safety. Based on our findings, we provide suggestions for educators, policymakers, and technology companies.

Despite an increase in research examining sexual minority groups, there remains comparatively less targeted research with bisexual people, as they are often absorbed into lesbian and gay samples in research or disregarded entirely. Given the existing data suggesting that bisexual people have higher rates of mental health issues than lesbian women and gay men, it is critical that this group's mental health, and risk factors of mental ill-health, be explored independently. The current study aimed to investigate the risk factors of bisexual-identified individuals' mental health and suicidality using structural equation modeling (SEM). The study recruited bisexual people, with a final international sample of 817 participants aged between 16 and 58 years ( = 23.11,  = 8.54). Results indicated high mental ill-health in this sample based on responses to mental health screening questionnaires, self-reported diagnoses, and reported engagement with mental health professionals. Participants also had a high degree of suicidality, with close to half reporting having made at least one suicide attempt and/or really wanting to die. Results of the SEM indicated that these poor mental health outcomes were associated with the unique experiences of prejudicial events (stigma, discrimination, interpersonal hostility), minority stress (internalized biphobia, lack of social support), and isolation from a welcoming community experienced by this population. We provide recommendations for clinical practice and educational programs in light of these findings.

As the U.S. population continues to age, it becomes critical to understand the sexual and romantic needs of older adults. Sexual ageism, or negative attitudes toward the sexuality of older adults, can serve as a barrier to sexual and relationship quality. This stigmatization is often dismissed, minimized, or denied altogether - like many aspects of older adults' lives. This experimental study examined interpersonal evaluations and risk perceptions of target adults that varied in age, gender, and sexual or romantic expression and the role that participants' disgust sensitivity, a key variable related to social attitudes and stigmatization, played in these perceptions. Across two studies (total  = 678), participants read one of four flyers introducing a 25- or 65-year-old woman (Study 1) or man (Study 2) with information on the target's sexual or romantic lives. Although results were nuanced, sexual women and men of both age groups were rated more negatively and as riskier compared to their romantic counterparts. In Study 1, respondents' disgust sensitivity was related to interpersonal evaluations and heightened risk perceptions of the sexually open women, but in Study 2 was related to interpersonal evaluations of the sexually open men, with no relationship to how risky the men were rated. Overall, negative evaluations of the sexual targets were not limited to older adults, providing support for sexual stigma rather than sexual ageism. Disgust sensitivity was differentially related to perceptions based on the target's gender, advancing evolutionary perspectives on the gendered nature of disgust.

Objectification theory posits that women are viewed and treated as objects valued primarily for their appearance and sexual desirability for others. This feminist framework argues that the ubiquitous objectifying gaze in Western heterosexual culture causes women to view themselves as objects (i.e. self-objectification), which has been associated with negative mental health outcomes - particularly depression, eating disorders, and less frequently studied - sexual dysfunction and satisfaction. Here, we systematically review the empirical work on the relations between self-objectification and sexuality-related outcomes. Following a PRISMA-guided review, we screened 351 records and included 39 articles reporting 47 studies conducted across 10 countries. Most studies sampled adult women and were cross-sectional (89%), with only two longitudinal and three experimental designs. Outcomes were clustered into nine domains, most of which (i.e. sexual dysfunction, sexual satisfaction, sexual behaviors, relationship satisfaction, and attitudes toward sexual violence) present inconsistent results, probably due to methodological limitations. Other domains (i.e. sexual subjectivity and sexual emotional labor) were empirically linked to self-objectification but remain understudied. We found, however, strong evidence for a link between self-objectification and two outcomes: sexual victimization and safety-related anxiety/fear of rape. Yet research on self-objectification and sexuality-related outcomes suffers from methodological limitations that make firm conclusions difficult. Current gaps in the literature include a predominant reliance on cross-sectional designs, the overrepresentation of Western, heterosexual, college-aged samples, and the near absence of gender- and sexual-minority participants. Advancing the field would require greater methodological rigor (e.g. longitudinal and experimental designs, use of appropriate measures) and more diverse sampling strategies. It would also benefit from examining both mediators proposed by the original theory and novel ones, as well as moderators, to better understand when, how, and for whom self-objectification undermines sexual well-being.

Limited genitopelvic pain research has focused on racially/ethnically, sexually, and gender/sex minoritized samples despite its high prevalence among these groups. The aim of this scoping review was to examine genitopelvic pain research published on racially/ethnically, sexually, and gender/sex minoritized samples. After removal of duplicates, the abstracts of 1,330 articles were screened, and 974 were excluded. Of 356 remaining studies, 227 were included for data extraction. Results indicated that genitopelvic pain is common among minoritized groups, that they often fare worse in psychosocial and sexual wellbeing, and that they develop a variety of coping strategies. Also, some racially/ethnically minoritized groups report higher pain severity, describe their pain differently than detailed in clinical guidelines, and report medical mistrust in their healthcare interactions. In addition, sexually minoritized women who identify as bisexual or partner with men often reported higher frequency of pain. Most studies focused on cisgender women with genitopelvic pain; studies that focused on men were primarily concerned with anodyspareunia in cisgender men who have sex with men or with genitopelvic pain in trans men post gender-affirming surgery. Future work should inform the updating of existing clinical guidelines, frameworks, and validated measures in a culturally sensitive and inclusive manner.

People consume alcohol prior to both consensual and nonconsensual sexual activity. To better inform education and prevention efforts targeting the coalescing of alcohol, sexual consent, and sexual violence, we conducted a scoping review of 57 articles published between 1999 and 2024 that examined the relationship between alcohol use and sexual consent. Most articles were qualitative and investigated how alcohol related to perceptions of consent, internal consent feelings, and external consent communication. Each article's findings were coded to assess how alcohol was related to sexual consent (i.e. the directionality, positive, negative). Our scoping review highlights how alcohol shapes the consent processes beginning in public settings (e.g. pubs, parties), and one's perceptions of drinking behaviors within these settings. In terms of consent perceptions, people tended to interpret sex as more consensual when people transitioned from public to private settings. Regarding internal consent, alcohol use seemed to increase consent feelings of arousal and desire, but not feelings of comfort, safety, or wantedness. Regarding external consent, low levels of alcohol use seemed to increase some forms of communication (e.g. more explicit/verbal external consent), while higher levels seemed to increase other forms of communication (i.e. more implicit/nonverbal external consent). Intoxicated consent was often viewed as more understandable within established relationships. Overall, alcohol was interwoven into people's processes of sexual consent, revealing situations that defy binary definitions of consensual versus nonconsensual sex.

The high rates of sexual inexperience and sexual inactivity reported from Japan have been subject to international attention. In this scoping review, we included 38 publications in English and Japanese (Jan 1st, 1974 to Sep 15th, 2024) comprising 43 surveys aimed at presenting population-based data on sexual inexperience, sexual inactivity and related variables, including indicators of sexual desire, interest in sexual relationships, sexual orientation and identities, sexual dysfunction and use of commercial sex worker services. Findings indicated that sexual inexperience had increased during the past decades such that around half of the Japanese population remained sexually inexperienced into their mid-twenties and approximately 10% of the individuals had no sexual experience when reaching their 30s, although most of the data pertained to heterosexual inexperience. The prevalence of sexual inactivity was high and had increased during the past decades, but these findings relied on less reliable data. While measures of sexual desire varied depending on definition and survey, a large proportion of the population reported that they had no interest in sexual relationships. Based on the reviewed data, several hypotheses regarding sexual inactivity in Japan and avenues for further research are suggested.